Machine for trimming the edges of metal boxes.



J. HEINE. MACHINE FOB, TRIMMING THE EDGES OF METAL BOXES. APPLICATION FILED APRJS, 1910.

1,007,103. Patented Oct. 31, 1911.

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COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH co..WA.SmNGTON. n. C.

J. HEINE. MACHINE FOR TBIMMING THE EDGES 0P METAL BOXES. APPLICATION FILED APR. 13. 1910.

Patent ed Oct. 31, 1911.

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J. HEINE. MACHINE FOB. TRIMMING THE EDGES 0P METAL BOXES.

APPLICATION FILED AIR.13, 1910.

7 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

Patented Oct. 31, 1911.

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J. HEINE. MACHINE FOR TRIMMING THE EDGBS 0F METAL BOXES.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 13, 1910. 1,007, 1 03.

Patented 001. 31, 1911.

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' J. HEINE MACHINE FOR TRIMMING THE EDGES 0F METAL BOXES.

APPLIOATION FILED APILIB, 1910.

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J. HEINE.

MACHINE FOR TRIMMING THE EDGES OF METAL BOXES.

APPLICATION FILED APR.13. 1910.

1,007, 103, V Patented Oct. 31, 1911.

7 SHEETS-SHEET 6.

COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH cuv, WASHINGTON, D1 c.

J. HEINE. MACHINE FOR TRIMMING THE EDGES OF METAL BOXES. APPLICATION FILED APR.13, 1910.

1,007,103, Patented 0015.31, 1911.

7 SHEETS-SHEET 7-.

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JOHN HEINE, OF REDFERN, NEW SOUTH WALES, AUSTRALIA.

MACHINE FOR TRIMMING THE EDGES OF METAL BOXES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 31, 1911.

Application filed April 13, 1910. Serial No. 555,261.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN HEINE, a subject of the King of Great Britain and Ireland, residing at George street, Redfern, New South Vales, Australia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Machines for Trimming the Edges of Wetal Boxes; and I do hereby declare the follow-- up such boxes in the die, particularly when of rectangular or irregular form, to a clean level edge, and it is therefore necessary to provide fachinery for removing the surplus metal in the irregular edges left in the forming operation.

My machine comprises a feed tray for holding the stock of uncut boxes, a feeder for passing said boxes one by one at intervals through a race onto a cradle therein, a cutting block below said cradle, a jockey clamp for pushing the boxes through the cradle onto the cutting block and holding them thereon during the trimming operation, an ejector for returning the trimmed boxes from the cutting block into the cradle, a stripper for cutting up the waste trimmings so as to leave the same free to fall clear of the machine, and cam operated mechanism driven from a shaft for imparting the necessary motions to the moving parts in proper sequence. The trimming is effected by four opposed knives of certain form reciprocated diagonally in relation to the cutter block, and the stripping is efiected by two knives with vertical edges set below two of the trimming knives and coacting with knife plates attached to the post on which the cutter block is mounted.

A machine embodying my invention is illustrated in the annexed drawings, wherein Figure 1 is a perspective view of the machine; Fig. 2 near side elevation of same; Fig. 3 longitudinal sectional elevation; Fig. 4 rear end elevation; Fig. 5 underneath plan of die table; Fig. 6 top plan of die table showing knives and knife sliders, jockey clamp, and feed arm; Fig. 7 fragment plan showing only the trimming and stripping knives; Fig. 8 fragment sectional elevation showing trimming and stripping knives, cutter block, and ejecting mechanism; Fig. 9 diagonal sectional elevation showing trimming and stripping knives and cutter block; Fig. 10 longitudinal section through the feed tray, feeder, race, and cradle; Fig. 11 top plan corresponding with Fig. 10; Fig. 12 transverse section through race and cradle, showing the parts rearward thereof in elevation; and Fig. 13 detail view of one leaf of the cradle showing the gage pins which coact therewith.

The table 1 is carried on legs 2, in which are supported bearings 3 for the shaft 4. The pulley 5 is mounted on a stub axle 6 and drives the shaft 4 through toothed pinion 7 and gear wheel 8. A clutch 9 oper' ated by hand lever 10 fulcrumed at 73 is provided to lock the pulley 5 to the pinion 7 and to unlock it therefrom as required. All the motions of various parts of the machine are derived from the shaft 4.

A bracket 11 (Fig. 4) carries a bearing 12 for the vertical rocking of a spindle 13. To the lower end of this spindle the crank 14 is keyed, and a connecting rod 15 conveys reciprocating motion to said crank 14 from the overhung crank pin 17 on the disk 18, which is keyed to the end of the shaft 4'and works in the eye 16 on the end of said rod. The upper end of the vertical spindle 13 above the bearing 12 carries a crank arm 19 which applies motion to the feed mechanism as will be hereinafter described.

20 is the feed tray, which is fitted with ledges 21 to retain the boxes having irregular top edges which are to be trimmed otl' square in the machine. The feed plate or table 22 is mounted on the table 1 as shown in Figs. 4, 10, and 11. Cheek plates 23, which carry the cradle, are adjustable as to distance apart by means of screws 24 working through slotted holes 25 in the flanges of the cheek plates into the table. The receiving ends of the cheek plates 23 are splayed as shown at 26 to facilitate entry of boxes between them from the tray 20.

27 is the feeder. It consists of a plate or block of metal slotted and fixed. adjustably as to the position of its driving end in the feed race (23) by means of a binding screw 30 which locks it to the guide slipper 28 which slipper runs in the slot 29 in the bed of the race 22. The lower end of the screw 30 is made to form a motion pin which works in the slotted end 31 of the crank arm 19. Each revolution of the shaft 4 effects one complete to and fro movement of the crank arm 19 and thus for every revolution of the said shaft the feeder performsonc motion and delivers one box to the cradle, wherein it is held temporarily before and after but not during the trimming operation.

The cradle consists of a pair of pendular jaws 22 hanging horizontally on the pintles 33, the ends of which are carried in the brackets 94 which are set up on the flanges of the cheek plates 23. Normally these jaws 32 lie flush on the inner faces with the cheek plates, so that their angular ledges 34 will receive and support the untrimmed boxes which pass along the raceinto them and subsequently receive and support the ejected trimmed boxes. Both of these ledges 34 are angled on upper and lower faces, so that while they will support a box set on them they will allow the same to be pushed downward onto or upward off the cutter block which will be subsequently described; the upper faces of these ledges 34 are flush with the bed of the feed table 22, which together with the cheek plates 23 and jaws 32 forms the feed race; and the table bed 22 is gapped as shown at 35 rearward of and between these jaws 32. A bolster 36 is provided rearward of each of the jaws 32. These bolsters carry each two gage studs 37 and a back spring 38. The gage studs 37 project into oval holes 39 in the jaws 32 for which holes they are a free fit; the ends of these studs are cut off flush with the inner face of the flange plates 23. The springs 38 permit the jaws 32 to spring outward on their pintles to allow boxes to slip downward over and between the ledges 34 onto the cutter block when top pressure is applied to them by the clamp 39, while the studs 37 keep the stock centered over the cutter block. Similarly, the lower faces of the ledges 34 are beveled to allow the finished boxes to be forced up again bet-ween them by the operation of the ejecting mechanism after trimming which will be described in a later part of this specification.

The cutter block which carries the boxes during the trimming process consists of a hardened head 40 shaped to fill the finished box and fixed'to the top of the hollow pillar 41, which is carried on a bridge 95 which is bolted up to the underside of the table 1. The plate 40 is recessed on the top face as shown in Figs. 3, 8, and 9 to secrete the ejecting plate 42 which is mounted on the top of the plunger 44. A collar spring 43 (shown in Fig. 3) is set around the plunger 44 and acts to hold the ejecting plate 42 in the recess in the top of the head 40.' The lower end of the rod 44 is rounded and hardened. It rests on the top of the reciprocating riding lever 45 which fulcrumed on a horizontal pin 46 carried by a bracket 47 bolted to the underside of the table 1.

The cam 48, shaped as shown in Fig. 8, is keyed on the shaft 4 directly below the riding lever 45. The rotation of this cam with the shaft 4, in the direction shown by the arrow in Fig. 8, applies a vertical reciprocating motion to the riding lever 45, causing that lever, when the cam is upward to lift the plunger 44, thereby raising the ejecting plate 42 and forcing the trimmed box up between the ledges 34 of the cradle 32 as soon as the trimming operation has been concluded. The position in which the cam 48 is keyed to the shaft 4 determines the time of the ejecting movement in relation to the time of the clamping and cutting movements which are yet to be described. A bracket 50 bolted to the table 1 at 51 supports a guide bearing 52 for the jockey clamp spindle 56, and also a fork 53 carrying the fulcrum pin 54 of the jockey lever 55.

56 is the spindle of the clamping head 39, said head being adjustable on said spindle by means of set pin 57. The weight end of the lever works within a box 58 on the top end of the spindle 56 so that said spindle will have imparted to it a true vertical motion when said lever is oscillated about its fulcrum 54. The power end of the lever 55 is operated by the connecting rod 59 which is adjustably connected to it in a rocking bearing 60 with nut adjust ments 61. The lower end of the connecting rod 59 is secured to the slotted sliding plate 62, which is capable of vertical movement only. The shaft- 4 forms the guide on which the slot in this plate 62 works, said plate being fitted between the bearing 3 and the cam 63. The cam 63 is formed integral with the disk 18 which carries the crank pin 17 through which the feeding devices receive motion. A roller 64 on the guide plate 62 rides on the cam 63. The rotation of the shaft 4 and with it the cam 63 therefore causes the connecting rod 59 to make one complete vertical reciprocation for every rotation of the shaft 4. A spring 65 tending to hold the power end of the lever 55 down toward the table 1 prevents any lost motion in the parts. The positioning of the cam 63 on the shaft 4 determines the time in the revolution of the shaft when the clamp 39 will be held down on the box which is setfor trimming in the cutter block. The shape of the cam 63 is such that the clamp 39 after descending will remain held down on the box until the trimming operation has been finished, and will then be raised before the ejecting mechanism, which is worked, by the cam 48, comes into action.

The table 1 is slotted diagonally from corner to corner crosswise, and triangular plates 74 are screwed down to it as shown in Fig. 6. The edges of these plates overlap the slots as shown in Fig. 1, forming T slot guideways for the slides 75 which carry the knives 76. Slotted holes 77 are also made through the table as shown in Fig. 5. Each of the slides 75 is provided with a pin 78 which is secured to it by a nut 79 in any convenient way, but preferably by bringing the screwed head of the pin through a slotted hole 96 so that the position of the slide 75 may be set near to or far from the cutting block 40 as may be required.

Any ordinary mechanical construction which admits of the setting of the position of the slides relatively to the pins 78 may be used instead of the arrangement shown. The knives 76 are mounted on and pinned to the slides 75 as shown, and the cutting edges of the knives 76 are shaped in plan as shown in Figs. 6 and 7 and are ground to an obtuse angle as shown in Figs. 8 and 9. The shape of the knives is such that the last parts of the box to be cut will be the corners. The trimming is effected by a scissor like out against the under edge of the cutting block 10; but at the corners of the box the knife movement becomes a simple shearing cut. The knives work alternately, that is to say, first two diagonally opposite knives advance toward the center of the table and make one half the trimming cut; then these knives retire outward and subsequently the other two knives working at right angles to the first mentioned pair advance and make the other half of the trimming cut and then retire. The cuts made in the two successive operations overlap, so that it will be impossible that any part of the box rim will be left uncut in the trimming operation.

The means for applying motion to the alternate opposite sets of slides carrying the cutters; 76 is shown in Figs. 3, at and 5. \Vheels 81 and 82, having curved peripheral channels which form cam tracks 83 and 84: cut in their edges as shown in Fig. 3 are mounted on the shaft l. Rollers 85 and 86 run in these tracks 83 and 84 respectively. The rotation of the shaft 4 and therefore also the rotation of the wheels 81 and 82 will once in every revolution, but at a different time in such revolution, impart to the rollers 85 and 86 respectively a quick forward and reverse transverse movement. These rollers 85 and 86 are carried respectively on levers 87 and 88, which are fulcrumed at 89 and 90 respectively on studs on the under side of the table 1. Each one of the levers 87 and 88 is respectively connected to a pair of opposite slides 7 5 through the pin ends 78. The levers 87 and 88 are each connected to one of these slides; the pin ends 78 of the slides working in the slotted lever ends 91. At the other ends of them each of these levers is respectively cross connected by a connecting rod 92 to the pin ends 78 projecting from the other two slides 75. The positioning of the wheels 81 and S2 is such that one diagonally opposite pair of slides and knives always remains at the outer position until the other pair has advanced, made a trimming cut and retired. The knives 76 are ground plates of suitable steel finished to a cutting edge, which cutting edge acts directly under the lower edge or lip of the cutting block 40 acting therewith to effect a sliding shearing action and trim off the irregular edges of the box, leaving the box rim out true and clean to the depth of the cutting block 4 0. Each particular line of boxes must be provided with a proper fitting cutting block 40 adapted to it. A uniform shape of ejector plate 12 may, however, be used with a variety of cutting blocks 10. Simultaneously with these operations the stripping mechanism continues to clear from the cavity above the bridge 95 the cuttings removed from the stock by the knives 76.

Stripper knives 97 are fixed to the slides 7 5 by screw pins 71 below the trimming knives 76. These knives have angular vertical cutting edges 99 with the lower corner in advance of the upper corner; they coact with fixed knives 98 of similar form secured by pins 68 to the sides of the post 41, by sliding past the same and making two shearing cuts through the trimmed off metal just before the completion of the trimming cut made by the knives 76 above them respectively acting against the underside of the block 40. The leading points on the edges of the fixed knives 98 should be a little within the alinement of the block 10 and therefore nearly in contact with the metal which is being trimmed ofi' they must not project beyond the alinement of the block 40, be

cause it is necessary that the edges of the untrimmed boxes should be outside them when the boxes are pressed down on the cutting block 10 by the jockey clamp 39. The pin lugs are provided to trip the falling stripped pieces of metal and cause them to fall clear of the bridge 95 upon which the post 41 is mounted.

The timing of the various motions is in successive order as follows :1. Feeding the boxes one by one on to the cradle; 2. Lowering the clamp 39 so as to drive the box through the cradle on to the cutting block 410; 8. Holding the clamp 39 fixed while the trimming and stripping knives perform their operations; 4:. Retiring the clamp 39. 5. Ejecting the trimmed box up into the cradle.

Obviously the invention is of greatest directly practical utility in the trimming of rec angular boxes, but it is usable also with boxes of oval. or irregular shapes and may be used also for cylindrical boxes.

The mode of operation is as follows The stamped boxes are placed on the tray 20 bottom upward. They are set by hand one by one in the race 2223 and are pushed along the race by the reciprocating feeder 27, which is set so that it delivers each box neatly into the cradle 32 directly above the cutting block. The jocky clamp 39 now descends on the bottom of the box, causing the aws 32, which together form the cradle, to swing backward against the pressure of the springs 38, and forcing the box down over the cutting block 40, and holding it down upon it tightly. The knives 7 6 now advance, first one pair from opposite corners, and as soon as they have made their cut and retired, then the other pair at right angles to the first pair move toward the center and retire. The moving stripper knives 97 snip the waste against the fixed stripper knives 98 during the second trimming cut thus dividing it, and it falls clear of the bridge 95, being tipped by the lugs and so prevented from falling flat onto said bridge and collecting there. Just after the stripper operates, the cam 48 acting upon the lever 45 raises the ejector 42 by pushing the stem 44 upward as in Fig. 8 the clamp 39 having meantime been raised to the position shown in Fig. 3. The upward movement of the ejector 42 pushes the trimmed box upwardly into the cradle 32, so that it rests with its trimmed edges on the cradle ledges 34. The feeder 27 now picks up the next box to be trimmed and pushes it on to the cradle forcing the just finished box along the race 22, 23. The finished boxes pass over the end of the table 22 of the race into a chute or box in which they are collected. The whole of the operations, with the exception of the feeding of the rough stock into the feed race, are automatic.

hat I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. In a machine for the purposes set forth, the combination with a cutting block, of knives coacting therewith to trim the edges of a box inverted over the block, a clamp for holding said box on said block during the cutting operation, an ejecting member, adapted to be raised from its normally retracted position, thereby positively lifting the box from said block after the cutting operation, and automatic means for actuating said knives, clamp and ejector in timed sequence.

2. In a machine for the purposes set forth the combination with opposed trimming knife cutters acting against a cutting block, of stripper knives on the same carrier as the t i ming kni es and coacting with knives fixed on the block post to snip waste trimmmgs.

3. In a machine for the purposes set forth, the combination with a fixed cutting block, of two pairs of cutting knives provided with an obtuse cutting edge and carried on slides working in guides disposed diagonally in relation to said cutting block, and means for alternately advancing and retiring the opposite pairs of said knives.

4. In a machine for trimming edges of metal boxes, the combination with a reciprocating pusher for feeding the boxes one by one along a race to the cutting block, of a cradle above said block for holding said boxes in the line of the race until a clamp forces the same on to said block and for receiving the trimmed boxes when same are ejected from said block.

5. In a machine for trimming edges of metal boxes, the combination with means for trimming the boxes, of a stationary feed table, a feed race mounted thereon, a reciprocating feeder, adapted to move to and fro in said race, and a cradle in said feed race to temporarily receive the boxes.

6. In a machine for trimming edges of metal boxes, the combination with a shaft 4, of a crank pin 17 operating the reciprocating spindle 13 through the rod 15 and crank 14, a crank 19 on the upper end of said spindle, and a feeder operating in the feed race, reciprocated by said arm 19.

7. In a machine for trimming edges of metal boxes, the combination with a shaft 4, a crank pin 17 operating the reciprocating spindle 13 through the rod 15 and crank 14, a crank 19 on the upper end of said spindle, and a feeder operating in the feed race, reciprocated by said arm 19, of a cam 63 actlng upon a vertical rod 59 which is articulated to the oscillating lever 55 which is in turn articulated to and operates the spindle 56 of the clamp 39, said clamp being adjustable on said spindle.

8. In a machine for trimming edges of metal boxes, the combination with a feed race, of means for feeding the boxes inverted in single file to a predetermined position therein, a cradle interposed in the length of the feed race, and consisting of swinging jaws 32 with ledges 34 on their bottom edges, gage pins 37 and returning springs 38 carried on bolsters 36, a cutting block below the cradle for holding the box, and means for trimming the box on said block, a clamp for forcing the box through the cradle on to the block and an ejector for delivering the trimmed box back into the cradle.

9. In a machine for trimming edges of metal boxes, the combination with a shaft 4, of a cam 48, and a riding lever 45 acted upon by said cam to lift the plunger 44 of the ejector plate 42 which is recessed in the cutting block.

' 10. In a machine for trimming edges of metal boxes, a cutting block consisting of a plate 40 fitted to the boxes to be trimmed and overlapping the head of the post 41, and carrying in a recess in its top face an ejecting plate 42 supported on a spring retired plunger 44 which is raised by cam action to deliver the trimmed box into the cradle, in combination with reciprocating knives which coact with the bottom edges of said plate 40 to shear the box edges.

11. In a machine for trimming edges of metal boxes, the combination with the cutting block 40 and pillar 41 supported on a bridge 42 below the table, of opposed stripper knives on the sliding carriers 7 5 and on said pillar respectively.

12. In a machine for trimming edges of metal boxes, the combination of shaft 4, cam race wheels 81 and 82 keyed thereon, levers 87 and 88 with roller pins 85 and 86 working in the cam races 83 and 84 of said wheels, knife carriers 75 adjustable for position and slidable in diagonal guides in the table 1, driving pins 78 depending from two of said carriers and engaged by slotted holes 91 in one end of said lever 87 and 88 re spectively, and links 92 cross connecting the other ends of said levers to driving pins depending from the other two of said knife carriers.

13. In a machine for trimming the edges of metal boxes, the combination with a cutting block, adapted to support the boxes, of

two pairs of movable knife carriers, arranged dlagonally opposite each other,

cross-connecting levers for actuating said carriers, rollers on said levers, and cam race wheels, co-acting with said rollers, so as to oscillate said levers alternately.

14. In a machine for trimming edges of metal boxes, the combination with a cutting block and knife plates coacting therewith, of an oscillating lever 55 worked by a cam 63 on the shaft 4, a clamp 39 operated by said lever for setting the box and holding the same inverted upon the cutting block during the trimming operation, a spring returned ejecting plate 42 recessed into the head of the cutting block and carried on a plunger 44, and a cam 48 on the shaft 4 for raising said rod and ejector upon the completion of the trimming operation.

15. In a machine for trimming edges of metal boxes, the combination with a cutting block for carrying the box, knives coacting therewith to trim the edges of the box, and a clamp for holding the box during the trimming operation and subsequently ejecting the trimmed box, of a feed race 2223 and a cradle therein consisting of swinging jaws 32 with lips 34 for delivering the untrimmed boxes to the cutting block and receiving the same when trimmed from the ejector.

In testimony whereof, I have aflixed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN HEINE.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

